Alfa Romeo 4C production version revealed ahead of Geneva debut

The production version of the Alfa Romeo 4C has finally been revealed ahead of a launch at the 2013 Geneva Motor Show in March.

The Alfa Romeo 4C has been on its way for two years, ever since Alfa debuted a concept version of the 4C at Geneva in 2011. But now the real production version of the Alfa 4C (pictured above) is heading for its public debut at the 2013 Geneva show.

It’s been clear since December – when Alfa teased the 4C – that we would finally get a proper production version of the first proper Alfa sports car in as long as we all care to remember. And, as far as we can see, the production Alfa 4C is pretty faithful to the concept.

A properly compact sports car – at 4 metres long and 2 metres wide it’s around the same size as the Lotus Elise – it gets an evolution of the 1.75 litre four-cylinder in the Giulietta Quadrifoglio Verde which offers around 235bhp, although the 4C could see power upped to 275bhp.

Power of around 275bhp may not seem massive, but with a carbon fibre chassis weight is kept in check on the 4C (the 4C will weigh under 1000kg) so power from the four-pot turbo – going to the back wheels through a six-speed dual-clutch ‘box – should be enough for a sub-5 second 0-62mph, and a new ‘Race’ mode added to Alfa’s DNA setup should help the 4C be dynamic as well as lively.

As for price, it seems likely that Alfa will pitch the 4C at around £50k, right in the firing line of the Porsche Cayman R. How that will bode for sales we’ll have to wait and see until we get more detail, but with plans for sales of only around 2500 units a year the Alfa 4C shouldn’t struggle too much.

The Alfa 4C will debut at the 2013 Geneva Motor Show, and it seems likely it will be quickly followed by a 4C Convertible.